Texas Space Commission Awards Grant to CesiumAstro Inc.

Austin, TX - The Texas Space Commission (TSC) announced a Space Exploration & Aeronautics Research Fund (SEARF) grant of up to $10 million has been awarded to CesiumAstro Inc. for its “Element Satellite Technology Expansion” project. 

This award supports CesiumAstro’s development of an industrial warehouse to accelerate the design, integration, and deployment of its next-generation satellite, known as Element. Headquartered in Austin, CesiumAstro manufactures active phased-array communication payloads for satellites, aircraft, and spacecraft. This funding will help expand CesiumAstro’s production footprint in Texas while creating new jobs and supporting national security as well as commercial space markets.

The project timeline is set to take place over two years. The objectives included with this grant agreement are: 

• Construction: October 2025 – June 2026; 
• Environmental monitoring, electrical, plumbing, and integrated security system: November 2025 – August
2026; 
• Dust collection and fume extraction equipment installation: January 2026 – August 2026; and
• Manufacturing/Assembly Workstations: January 2026 – August 2026. 

These milestones will enable CesiumAstro to position Texas as a hub for advanced space communications technology, creating jobs and reinforcing the state’s strategic role in dual-use innovation. The SEARF grant will reimburse CesiumAstro for eligible expenditures, such as equipment, research and development, salaries, and other direct costs associated with the project.

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About CesiumAstro Inc. 
CesiumAstro builds high-throughput, plug-and-play phased array communication payloads for space and airborne platforms. Their full-stack, multi-mission hardware and software products enable a diverse range of commercial and defense objectives. CesiumAstro’s mission is to deliver advanced communication capabilities for a diverse set of applications at compelling performance and cost. Learn more.

About the Texas Space Commission
Established by the 88th Texas Legislature in 2023 through House Bill 3447, authored by Rep. Greg Bonnen, M.D., the Texas Space Commission advances innovation in the fields of space exploration and commercial aerospace to strengthen the state’s proven leadership across civil, commercial, and military domains. To date, the total appropriation made by the Legislature for the SEARF Trust is $450 million. Learn more.

Contact
To submit a media inquiry to the Texas Space Commission, please send an email to TSCPressInquiries@space.texas.gov.